40 Out-Of-This-World Facts You Never Even Knew About Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side Of The Moon

Having shifted approximately 45 million copies worldwide, Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon is one of the biggest-selling albums ever. But how much do you know about the seminal 1973 release? From A-list omissions to Grammy snubs, here’s a look at 40 facts about a record that changed the face of rock forever.

40. It almost had a different name

Pink Floyd’s masterpiece might have been named something else entirely had Medicine Head not flopped with their 1972 LP of the same name. After hearing that the British blues-rock outfit had also recorded an album called Dark Side of the Moon, David Gilmour and co. thought about releasing their opus under the name Eclipse (A Piece for Assorted Lunatics). However, they stuck with its original title when hardly anyone bought Medicine Head’s third LP.

39. It almost had a different cover

The Dark Side of the Moon’s cover image of a prism dispersing light into various hues is among the most recognizable sleeves in the history of popular music. But it was very nearly something else entirely. Graphic designer Aubrey Powell initially put forward the idea of featuring Marvel Comics character the Silver Surfer on the cover instead. However, Powell later admitted in an interview that he doubts the group would ever have been given permission to use the image.